


Off Script

by Trashcanniballecter



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Coming Out, Ficlet, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Gay Richie Tozier, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Richie Tozier's Stand Up Act
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:26:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23748319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trashcanniballecter/pseuds/Trashcanniballecter
Summary: During Richie's first show after Derry he abandons his script
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 8
Kudos: 88





	Off Script

**Author's Note:**

> All comments are appreciated

The stage lights are hot and blinding but Richie is used to them. He can't see a single face in the crowd but he knows that they are curious. They want to know about the 'breakdown'. He's been told to avoid the topic. Stay on script like always and it will all be fine.

Richie's hands shake. He hopes no one can see it.

"So my girlfriend caught me masturbating to her friends facebook page. Now I'm in masturbaters anonymous. The first meeting I stand up and say 'I'm Richie Trashmouth Tozier and-and." The audience is all holding there breath. Just waiting for another breakdown. Richie takes a deep breath and steels his nerves. Oh Steve is going to Hate him for this.

"I'm Richie Trashmouth Tozier and this is all a lie." A confused murmur ripples through the crowd. "None of this happened. None of it has ever happened. I don't even _have_ a girlfriend. I don't want one either because, because I'm Gay." The audience is shocked but he's not going to pay to much attention to their reactions. He's gotta get this all out now.

"This is only the second time I've been able to say that out loud you know? The first time was just a few weeks ago when I came out to my friends. They're wonderful, I love them with my whole heart. They're a big part of why I'm ready to do this now. I'm going completely of script and I'm going to be fucking honest on stage for the first time in my fucking life." There are cheers now but Richie just soldiers on.

"I've been deep in the closet most of my life, obviously. I was so deep in the closet that I got lost in there. I've always had my Straight Richie persona, he's not a recent development by any means. I've been faking it since middle school. Back then Straight Richie was a wannabe player. Straight Richie _totally_ fucked your mom. Straight Richie was mostly still me though. But there was a shift somewhere along the line and Straight Richie became his own thing. He was a monster with my face and I _hated him._ He'd probably hate Real Richie too. Straight Richie is the type of guy who used to beat me and my friends up in school. He's the worst and I never should have let him get to be as bad as I did. I hate that asshole but Straight Richie protected me, ya know, he's protected me all these years but I'm tired of hiding behind that dickhead. The Straight Richie persona is hard to give up but I'm not happy letting him take over my life anymore. A lot has happened to me recently that's put stuff into perspective for me. I've reevaluated my life and what's important to me and I've decided to be just Richie again. I want to be Real Richie for the first time ever. I like Real Richie, he's still kind of an asshole I won't lie about that. But he's mostly a good dude. He's a much happier dude than Straight Richie ever was, and he's here to stay." The audience explodes with cheers. Richie never expected such a positive reaction when he'd entertained the breif thought of publicly coming out before.

His eyes are adjusted to all the bright lights and he can finally see the Losers smiling faces in the front row, cheering him on and supporting him like they always have. For the first time all night Richie smiles genuinely.

The first thing Richie see's when he steps backstage is Steve's glare. Uh oh

"What the fuck was all of that?! Do you know how much work it's going to be to deal with this shit?! And you didn't even bother to follow your fucking script! What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"Nothing's wrong with me. That was the best fucking decision I've ever made in my life. And this is my second best decision."

"What?" 

"You're fired." Richie walks away before he has to hear whatecer Steve has to say about that. He's smiling like a maniac by the time he opens his dressing toom door to find the Losers waiting for him.

"You did amazing sweetie!" "We're so proud of you, man." "Not bad, Trashmouth." And all six of them are on him, hugging him, ruffling his hair, patting his shoulders and squeezing his hands. He has to blink back the tears that threaten to spill from all the waves of love that are hitting him.

Slowly the Losers detach from Richie and move to leave for their celebration dinner. Richie starts to follow but Eddie's hand on his arm stops him from leaving the dressing room.

"Hey Rich?" Eddie's voice is more gental than Richie's used to, his cheeks are dusted a lovely pink that Richie has to force himself not to read too much into.

"Yeah Eddie?"

"What you did up there, that was really brave. Like really really brave. And I want you to know I'm really proud of you." 

"I do know. You're brave too, man. The bravest guy I know." 

Eddie's smile is oddly shy. Richie sees Eddie's eyes flicker down to his left hand before he nods and looks back up to Richie's face. "Yeah, yeah I guess I'm brave too." 


End file.
